Time for the Villainess

Chapter 8

Imperia yawned.

"Sorry, it was a long decade. You know revenge and everything. Anyway, let's move on. Who do we have next?"

Adoranz pointed to a group of knights who were being forced to kneel on the floor. They were frowning at Imperia and one order from Leora would be enough to make them jump to their feet and fight to death. However the order was never coming and seeing a Thornton on the throne was driving them crazy.

"Can't we move on? They just gossiped about me. Seeing me on the throne is horrible enough for them."

Adoranz shook his head:

"They will be the first ones to try and kill you.

-I know, let them try. I am already getting bored of them. Can't you deal with them without me? Do I really need to be here for this? You just have to throw them into jail or kill them. That's like the easiest thing we've done in those seven years."

Adoranz pouted:

"Sorry for asking for your thoughts. People would kill me if I did something without consulting you first.

-No... They wouldn't, right?"

Imperia turned around but seeing the bandits faces she laughed:

"You are our savior, not him.

-You guys are adorable but you really need to work on your independence. Nevermind. Throw them in jail and only let them out if they swear allegiance to our cause."

They forced the knights to get up but one of them wasn't going to leave without speaking his mind:

"We will never swear allegiance to a Thornton!"

Imperia's people reached for their weapons but hearing Imperia laugh, they stopped.

"Then we don't have a problem. Because I don't wear that name anymore. I am Imperia and I put an end to that name you hate so much. You're welcome.

-No matter what they call you, you will always be a Thornton!"

The knight didn't have time to say more because as soon as he said those words, blood started flowing out of his mouth and he collapsed. Imperia put her eel thrower slingshot away and smiled:

"And you will always be dead."

She then turned to the other knights:

"Anything to add?

-You can't silence us! interjected another knight.

-Oh, I beg to differ. Look at your friend. He sounds pretty silent to me.

-What are you going to do? Are you going to prevent people from saying what they think?

-Do you mean censorship? If you insult me then at least have the vocabulary for it. Tell me one country that doesn't use censorship?

-Our country never killed people for their words!

-Really?"

Imperia looked at her friends before laughing:

"You are so cute that I don't want to contradict you but in your dear country insulting the royal family is punishable by death. Isn't that censorship?"

The knight straightened up seeming to think that he was still right:

"We would never insult our royal family! We are loyal to them until the end.

-And that's honorable. But you didn't say anything about censorship. I mean, people couldn't insult the royal family even if they wanted to.

-Thorntons are no better than us! Their people have been killed for way less.

-I never said they were, darling.

-Don't call me that. I am knight of Shadowend, Sir Marioun the Slayer.

-Well, sweety. You are no knight of my country."

Hearing this, another knight straightened up:

"This is not your country, and this is not your throne! We won't let you take what's ours!"

Imperia laughed:

"My day is finally getting more interesting. In theory, this country was mine even before I walked in with my soldiers."

Imperia turned to Leora:

"In fact, for some reason you dear ruler didn't sign the divorce papers. So I am the rightful ruler of this place. We are still married on paper, right, wifey?"

Leora didn't have time to answer:

"We never wanted a Thornton Queen to begin with! Our people never accepted you and that wedding doesn't count!"

Imperia laughed even more:

"Your people never accepted me? Can you speak for each and every one of them?

-No Shadowend would support a Thornton.

-You are starting to piss me off saying that name again and again but I will let you live for a few more minutes because I am curious about your reaction to this."

On those words, the door opened and a group of people walked in. Leora and the knights immediately recognized them. They were Shadowend knights, Shadowend mine workers, Shadowend maids... Seeing them standing next to Imperia, Leora frowned:

"You joined the enemy.

-Love, don't judge them. A lot of people joined our ranks and who are we to judge? While the two countries have been fighting each other, everyone forgot about their own people and their well being. These poor humans have been starving. They had no other choice. They needed help, they needed food, they needed money... How could I not listen to them? You weren't there for them."

Sir Marioun the Slayer yelled:

"Don't you dare criticize our Queen! She was always there for us! You snake! You manipulated them! You lied to them! You forced them to join you!"

Imperia put a hand on her heart pretending to be hurt:

"Me? I just gave them what they wanted. I never forced them to do anything.

-That can't be true! No! She forced you to betray us! You didn't have any choice!"

Some ex Shadowend people were staring at their feet but others of the group looked at Marioun the Slayer with determined eyes:

"Queen Imperia never forced us to join them. If it wasn't for her, most of us would be dead by now. She is the only reason why we are here today and we will forever be indebted to her.

-Cowards! Traitors! How could you do this to the Crown? I will kill you with my own hands!"

Marioun the Slayer did escape against all odds but he didn't have time to do anything because Imperia stopped him the same way she did his colleague. With two knights on the ground, the others were ready to end everything right then and there. All of them fought off their assailants at the same time and launched towards Imperia. The latter didn't even budge and stared them straight in the eyes as they got slaughtered by her guards.

Seeing that she got blood on her dress, Imperia sighed:

"Oh no... I really liked this dress."

They took a small break in the trial and Imperia left to change while people cleaned the room. While they were waiting for Imperia to come back, Leora didn't move an inch. Not that she moved a lot until then but now she was completely immobile. There was only Leora and her sister left for the trial and contrary the the former Queen, Jezebel couldn't stay in place:

"Sister... What is she going to do to us?"

Leora didn't even look at her sister:

"I don't know.

-Aren't you scared? How can you be so calm? She just killed your men in front of your eyes!"

Someone yelled at them to stay silent and Jezebel jumped.

"Calm down. She is not going to hurt you.

-How could you know? After what just happened...

-You never bullied her. You are going to be fine.

-What about you then? Back then you...

-Don't worry about me.

-What am I supposed to do then if not to worry about you? Are you going to just let her kill you without saying anything?

-Yes.

-You can't! You should beg for your life. Maybe she'll be merciful."

Leora shrugged. She didn't care anymore. If Imperia wanted her to die, then she would do so with her head up.